


Caught In Between

by VampireVengence



Category: All Time Low (Band), Glitter And Crimson- All Time Low (Song)
Genre: Alex's Perspective, Boys Kissing, BoyxBoy, Gay, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Gen, Gentle Kissing, Glitter And Crimson, Kissing, Late Night Conversations, Late at Night, M/M, Merrikat, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Suspicious Alex, Wake Up Sunshine Recording
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:48:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23706397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampireVengence/pseuds/VampireVengence
Summary: Alex said Glitter & Crimson was about a gay couple and so this is the story of what inspired him to write it.
Relationships: Jack Barakat/Zack Merrick
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Caught In Between

Alex really didn't get it. Jack and Zack had been dancing around this unspoken thing between them for years now and neither of them had done a damn thing about it. Now that all four of them were living together it was becoming painfully obvious, though neither of them seemed to have noticed. 

How anyone had managed to miss the little looks they sent each other when they thought the other wasn't looking, the way they always seemed to gravitate towards one another unconsciously, the little smiles and jokes they shared and the late-night conversations they thought no one knew about, was beyond Alex. It was so obvious, how could they not see it?

He'd tried talking to them about it a few times but he always got the same response. Zack would tell him he was crazy or imagining it, Jack would tell him they were just friends and that nothing like that could ever happen. Alex didn't get that either. Surely of all the people they knew, he and Rian were the ones they could be honest with?

He sat watching them intently. They were sat shoulder to shoulder, feet dangling in the pool as they chatted and played around with the stupid pink dildo that they'd gone and bought for no apparent reason. They were the epitome of happiness and he wasn't the only one to notice. Ashley was busy snapping photos of the oblivious pair.

"God they're adorable." She laughed as she looked through her shots. "I mean look at the way Jack looks at him." She offered the camera to Alex so he could see and he couldn't help but smile, the total adoration was clear on his face for the world to see. "They really need to hurry up and get together." Alex said as he handed back the camera. She just laughed.  
"I've been saying that for years now."

There was the distinct sound of drums coming from inside the house as Rian tracked something and Ashley soon disappeared to try and get some photos of the drummer in his element, leaving Alex to his thoughts. There had to be something he could do to help them get their shit together, but what?

He spent most of the afternoon thinking it over and getting nowhere. He couldn't force them to get together and he wasn't sure locking them together in a room would actually get them to confess anything, they could probably quite happily sit in there all day and talk about literally anything but them getting together. He was going to have to see if Rian could think of anything.

He paused in the doorway to the living room. Jack was sat playing the guitar, he was clearly just spitballing ideas but it was certainly a pretty melody. He startled when he noticed Alex standing there watching him. "I didn't hear you come in." Alex gave a small shrug.   
"I didn't wanna interrupt. That sounds really good man." Jack pulled a face.  
"I dunno, I'm just messing around. Had something floating around in my brain for a while. I just needed to get it out, ya know?" Alex did know, far too well. "Well, that's why we make music right?" Jack gave a small smile.  
"Right."

They spent the next few hours working together on what Jack had created until they had the bones of what Alex felt could be a pretty good song. It seemed to have eased some of the tension in Jack but he still seemed a little distant.

"You okay man?" Alex asked gently, he didn't want to make Jack feel pressured, then he'd never speak up. He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah just... thinking." Alex raised an eyebrow.  
"Anything I can help with?" He instantly shook his head. "Okay, well I'm here if you need to talk." He nodded as Alex squeezed his shoulder gently. "I know. I really do appreciate that." Alex just nodded, holding his tongue despite his concerns. Jack would talk when he was ready.

* * *

Alex couldn't sleep; physically he was exhausted but he couldn't seem to stop his mind from racing. Rian had simply told him to leave the Jack and Zack thing alone, let them figure it out on their own. That didn't stop Alex overthinking it though. With a sigh he got up, heading down to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

He stopped when he reached the downstairs hallway, the light from the TV was shining out giving a dim illumination. _Who the hell left that on?_ He paused just shy of the door when he heard a hushed voice. "I hate lying to them." It was Jack. "We've all been friends so long, it feels so wrong. It's not like they'd care."  
"I know they wouldn't." Zack responded; he sounded tired. "I'm just not ready for everything to change." Alex frowned, confused by what that was supposed to mean. "I know people don't mean to but they always look at you differently after they know and there are always so many expectations. I mean, we'd suddenly be role models for a whole community. We'd have to represent all these people and I just... I don't want that; I'm not ready to be that person for everyone."

Alex wearily peered around the doorframe and found Jack and Zack cuddled up together on the couch; the TV playing some random show quietly in the background that neither of them were paying any attention to. "I know that must sound so selfish." He watched as Jack's hand came up to cup Zack's cheek. "It's not selfish. Believe me, I get it. I am hardly role model material and I don't want to have to change who I am to fit in with everyone's ideals." Zack smiled softly, leaning down and connected their lips; closing the gap between them.  
"I hate having to hide but you make me so happy Jack and this feels good." Jack nodded, a small smile playing on his lips and adoration clear in his eyes. "It does."

Alex stepped away, feeling like he was intruding. He smiled softly as he headed through to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water before heading back up to his room. He grabbed his notepad and pen from the bedside table and got to work.

When he woke up the next morning he was surprised to find he wasn't the last one up. Jack alone was in the kitchen, scrolling through his phone as he absentmindedly stirred his bowl of cereal. "Where is everyone?" Jack didn't bother to look up from his phone.   
"Ashley's packing, Zack's gone to the gym and judging by the snoring Rian is still asleep." Alex gave a single nod before dropping his notepad on the table in front of him and heading over to the coffee machine.

"What's this?" Jack asked around a mouthful.  
"Lyrics for that song we were writing yesterday." Jack's eyes furrowed slightly as he read over them.  
"Sounds like you're telling quite the story here Gaskarth." he said wearily. The tension in his shoulders the only tell that he knew, or at least suspected, what the song was about. Alex just gave a casual shrug as he took a drink from his mug. "It's a story that had to be told." Jack didn't comment.

They sat in companionable silence until Rian joined them just over an hour later. "Glitter and Crimson." He read, turning the notepad to face him so he could read the words. "This is cute Alex!" He grinned, heading straight to the coffee machine. Alex chuckled softly.  
"Thanks, I'm pretty proud of it."

"What's cute?" Zack appeared in the doorway, sweaty from his workout.   
"Alex wrote some lyrics." Jack sounded a little stiff as he pushed the notepad across the island towards him. Zack picked up the pad, forehead creasing as he read over the words. He exchanged a very meaningful look with Jack before dropping down in the chair next to him. "What inspired this?" He asked carefully, obviously just as tense. Alex gave a casual shrug.  
"Just these guys I know." He said vaguely.

He got up from the table and stretched out his back. "Well, I'm gonna go grab a shower before all the hot water's gone again." He walked around the table and wrapped an arm around each of them, pulling the pair into an awkward hug. "I'm happy for you guys." He muttered softly, making sure it was quiet enough that Rian wouldn't hear him. With that, he headed out leaving a stunned -and in Rian's case confused- silence behind him. 


End file.
